CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A north suburban veterans hospital paid tribute Friday to those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001 and to a Navy pilot who succumbed to the mental scars of war.
Like many municipalities and institutions, the James Lovell Federal Health Care Center in Chicago commemorated the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. But this commemoration was also a tribute to a veteran's service, and the battle that he tried to fight in secret in the years after the attacks.
On 9/11, Lt. Col Dan Nash was an F-15 fighter jet pilot. He and another pilot were scrambled from the Otis Air National Guard base on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Their mission was to shoot down any hijacked airliner before it reached its intended target.
Nash was about to take off when American Airlines Flight 11 hit the World Trade Center. He was 60 miles away from Manhattan when United Airlines Flight 175 hit the South Tower of the WTC. Nash was in the air when the World Trade Center towers cumbled, and spent the rest of that day patrolling the airspace over New York City.
Nash's younger brother Brendan spoke at Friday morning's ceremony at the Lovell Health Care Center. He said his brother felt anger and guilty that he had somehow failed America in what he thought were the opening hours of World War III.
The feelings Nash carried were later diagnosed as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
"Even after he was professionally diagnosed with PTSD, Dan was still in denial. Instead he began to cope with his mental trauma in other harmful ways that also caused his physical decline. Two decades later, you can say that 9/11 also killed my brother," Nash said.
Lt. Col. Nash was eventually treated at the Lovell Health Care Center, where he thrived.
"Ultimately, Dan did learn to cope with his past. Some of his artwork is displayed here, which shows a sign of his healing. He began writing his story. We had all hoped to share it on this anniversary," Nash said.
In December, Lt. Col Dan Nash was the first patient to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. He had hoped to return to the cockpit as a flight instructor. He died in June at the age of 54.
"I know that my brother is flying again. On eagle's wings," Nash said.
Brendan Nash said there is no shame in seeking help.
"If you are hurting inside like Dan was and so many, please don't ignore the pain," he said.
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